driftfleet | Your regularly scheduled creepy visitor

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Your regularly scheduled creepy visitor

Who: Cole and anyone who needs him... or wants to chat to him
Broadcast: No
Action: On any ship except Marsiva, Tourist or Red Fish because he avoids visiting two and can't visit the third.
When: While the fleet is moving and probably a bit after

[There is this thing Cole does.

He visits other ships. Sometimes he put the Pathstone alongside to visit and sometimes he takes a shuttle, but he's constantly wandering all over the fleet, being with people, circulating.

He hasn't done it in a while. He got a nasty fright and went into hiding for a while.

But the creepy psychic being is back! Sticking his large nose into all the business.]

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[ He frowns, not sure where Dark Father comes from. He's barely a father, and maybe he wears dark clothes -- He shakes his head to dislodge the wandering thoughts. His last conversation with Cole left him confused; he's going to try not to be as confused this time by starting ... simple. ]

I'm just Anakin here. How are you doing?

Anakin.

[Cole looks out past the brim of his hat. It's a big hat. And much the worse for wear.]

I don't understand. I'm not doing anything to be any way about how I do it.

[ He stares blankly. ]

Why does it seem like I'm speaking another language when I'm talking to you.

What I meant to ask is have you been since the last time I talked to you?

A lot of people seem to feel that way. I don't know why. I speak whatever language people will me speak.

[He thinks he does, anyway.]

Oh. It was bad for a while. I started to become Despair and I though I had to die, but Riona said I didn't, so I just stayed away from everyone and put myself back together.

[ He goes from confused to bewildered to shock and then finally back to confused and mild frustration but also happy that this is still ... he suppose Compassion!Cole. And that he was right, of course.

All in a minute of Cole telling him. ]

So, isolating yourself worked then. You're you again. Or maybe you never fully changed into Despair.

Yes. No.

I went to Riona. She helped a lot. Told me I wasn't Despair and she cared, so much. It helped.

Then I went to be by myself. Put myself back together.

[ He smiles at that. Riona is a good person, there's a sincerity to her that he'd always liked and he's glad she was there for him. Only he had offered to help too, didn't he. And where was he then? ]

I'm sorry I couldn't help more, Cole. But I'm glad Riona was there.

You offered but Riona could. You'd go to Obi-Wan if you were scared of falling, wouldn't you?

[Anakin offered, but Riona understood the situation and what might be necessary.]

[ There's a slight frown at how suddenly personal it was and how it was directed at him. ]

Of course I would. [ Maybe, maybe not. Maybe fuck yourself. ] He's my mentor, my best friend. Is Riona that to you?

No.

She's from Thedas. She's a Grey Warden mage. She knows spirits. She knows what we're like. She has... the context to make an informed decision.

[He speaks the last bit carefully. Like he's heard it and is echoing it.]

Ah, yes. The Commander of the Grey Wardens. I thought that was just a really fancy title. I don't know what she did but as long as it worked, as long as she's here to do it again...

[ Let's not think about peolpe leaving ]

But you're more than welcome to seek us out if you need help. The Jedi are to serve with compassion; It would be pretty bad if there are three Jedi and none of us could help you.

No. It's important in Thedas. Grey Wardens fight the Blight. They stop it over running the world, seeping and sinking stench. They stop the Archdemons, because no one else can.

[He understands how important it is. It poisons people and land and leaves nothing but discordant songs and bile.]

Thank you. Obi-Wan said the same. That I could come to him for help. I confuse him. I do that to a lot of people. But he confused me too, so I guess it's fair.

What is the Blight? Riona talked about ... a fight against it, but never about what that was. And an archdemon? Does being a Grey Warden help in understanding spirits? Or -- I don't know, your world is more connected to the Force than ours is, I think. It's ...

[ He focus for a moment. On Cole. And Cole is ... almost indescribable. It's a feeling that he's had before, in himself and in the Daughter of Mortis ] ...In you. It's you.

[Cole cants his head and then nods slightly.]

I'm a spirit of Compassion. I willed myself into being solid, so I could help. I'm not in a body, just... a soul made real.

The Blight. It's a sickness, a song, a sweet, sickly siren's call. It gets into the body and poisons the soul. If you're lucky, you die. If you're unlucky, you become Darkspawn, you hear the song, it calls, cajoles, clasps, captures.

Blight gets in the land and the soil becomes poison. The plants whither and die, animals sicken and enrage...

[His eyes go wide, as he suddenly realises he has a comparison.]

It's like a Dark Side sickness. Except it's Dark Side and Death. Grey Wardens take a spot of it into themselves. And they become immune to the sickness, but it's in them. And eventually, it gets into their head and soul and calls them to join the other Darkspawn. They choose to die fighting at that point.

[ He straights, shuffles and shifts as he listens. This is more than unsettling. Even more so when Cole draws the comparison; it's a stretch, at least he thinks so. It's the same old fear that gnaws at him.

Anakin folds his arms and clench his fists. There's more concern there than anything. ]

Does being the Commander of the Grey Warden mean that Riona has this in her?

A drop.

[Cole looks up at Anakin, dead in the eye.]

Are you saying you don't have Dark in you?

A drop.

[ He repeats cautiously. He doesn't know how to answer Cole's question at first because he doesn't know what that's about but his mind flickers to it, to his mother and that night in Tatooine. ]

Do you see a drop of that in me?

[Cole keeps looking him in the eye because he knows.

He knows what Anakin did. And that Anakin will do it again. But there's nothing like judgment in his gaze, just quiet understanding.]

Not the Blight. But I can see the Dark. It hurts you. And it makes you hurt the world.

A lot of people are like that. It's normal, in mortals.

[ His words makes him freeze. He wasn't sure what he had expected from Cole. And here he is, surprised at every turn.

Anakin breathes and grounds himself in the moment, convince himself that Cole knows nothing.

Only one of them does and he's not here now. ]

...It must be interesting to see people like that. Are we all be just light and dark to you?

No.

I don't see Light and Dark. Those are your words, I just use them because they make sense to you. I see memories, thoughts, emotions, connections, what matters in good and bad ways, echoes of what you've done, what's been done to you, a network of stars all woven together.

I knew you before I met you, because you and Obi-Wan are so tightly wound together.

[ He was glad that Cole took the deflection at first. Then unsurprisingly, not so grateful later. His eyes rolls up briefly and he lets exasperation take hold for a moment. ] Thanks for the clarification I guess...

A Master and Padawan bond is one that will always be woven together, even if they go their own ways later on. It's the same with me and Ahsoka.

Do you see this in everyone? Is this is why it's hard to ... balance with your Despair and Compassion sides?

[Cole hums and thinks, swaying on the spot.]

Solas, my Solas, said that I have empathy. And telepathy. And psychometry. And they're always on, all the time. Everyone is emotions and memories and experiences.

I feel it all. I understand why they feel how they do. Usually. But when people are overwhelmed by their Despair... it claws me, drags me along with it.

One of my ...colleges - another Jedi - he's renowned for his psychometry. I guess it's just tapping into the Force, and you. You're whatever you are. A spirit.

[ A slight frown. ]

Does that mean someone was in Despair, when you almost fell into it? That means any time anyone near you is in a state, you would get dragged with it.

Compassion.

[He shakes his head.]

No. Compassion can Despair, but doesn't Rage. Wisdom can be Prideful, or Envious, but doesn't Despair. Justice Rages, but never Envies.

[He's trying to explain. He's just not good at it. Sorry.]

Does it hurt? Becoming any of those.

[ A beat as he recounts what Cole said ]

...Can you become just any of those emotions, or just despair? [ Scratching his head: ] Justice isn't an emotion though, isn't that just ...rage?

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